Nita’s First Signs

Nita’s First Signs, written by Kathy Macmillan and illustrated by Sara Brezzi, is a board book that introduces American Sign Language to very young children through a simple, warm story. Published in 2018 by Familius LLC, the book follows a baby named Nita as she learns her first signs alongside family members. At just 12 pages, it is designed for infants and toddlers from birth onward, and it functions simultaneously as a picture book, a very first vocabulary builder, and a gentle introduction to Deaf culture and ASL.

Macmillan, a children’s librarian and author with a background in storytelling with sign language, brings genuine expertise to the subject. The book presents clear, simply drawn hand-shape diagrams alongside each sign, making it practical for caregivers who want to try baby signing at home even without prior ASL knowledge. The signs introduced include foundational words like “more,” “milk,” “all done,” and “please” (the same core vocabulary used in most baby sign language programs), which gives the book immediate utility beyond its role as a read-aloud experience.

Story and Illustration

Brezzi’s illustrations are bright and welcoming, with a warm color palette and rounded, soft character designs well-suited to the board book format. Nita is depicted with a diverse family across the pages, and the visual representation is inclusive without calling attention to itself. The book’s art style is simple enough not to overwhelm very young visual systems, which is the right call for the zero-to-three target audience.

The signing diagrams embedded in each spread are clear and functional. Parents or caregivers with no prior ASL experience can follow them directly. Some board books that incorporate sign language diagrams make them so small or stylistically complex as to be unusable in practice; Macmillan and Brezzi avoid that trap. The diagrams feel like part of the design rather than an afterthought.

Reading Experience

The book reads quickly, as any board book for very young children must. The text is minimal and rhythmic, which makes it good for repeated reading (the only kind of reading that happens at this developmental stage). The structure follows Nita through a simple daily sequence, giving parents natural moments to pause, demonstrate a sign, and invite the child to imitate. That interactive quality is where the book’s real value lies: it is not just a story but a structured prompt for parent-child interaction.

Themes

At its simplest, the book is about communication before spoken words. Baby signing has a well-established research base supporting its use in reducing frustration in preverbal children and supporting early language development, and Macmillan’s book enters that space with care. By framing ASL not as a workaround for children who cannot hear but as a natural and joyful way all children can communicate, the book does something quietly important: it normalizes sign language as part of the repertoire of any family, Deaf or hearing.

Style and Voice

The text is warm and gentle, written in the kind of close-to-the-child prose that reads aloud naturally at bedtime or during quiet play. Macmillan does not overload the page. Each spread carries very little text, which is exactly right for a board book aimed at pre-readers. The voice stays consistent throughout: encouraging, playful, and safe.

Verdict

Nita’s First Signs is a well-constructed, practically useful board book for families interested in introducing ASL or baby signing. It works both as a read-aloud experience and as a hands-on guide for caregivers, which is a combination that most books in this space do not manage equally well. For families with Deaf members, it offers a gentle point of entry for hearing infants. For hearing families, it opens a door to communication before speech arrives. Either way, Nita is a good first guide.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nita’s First Signs

What is Nita’s First Signs by Kathy Macmillan about?

Nita’s First Signs is a board book that follows baby Nita as she learns her first words in American Sign Language. Written by Kathy Macmillan and illustrated by Sara Brezzi, the book introduces core early vocabulary signs (like “more,” “milk,” and “all done”) through a warm story with embedded signing diagrams for caregivers to follow.

What age is Nita’s First Signs for?

The book is designed for children from birth through approximately age three. As a board book with minimal text and large illustrations, it is ideal for laps and storytime with infants and toddlers. The baby signing component becomes most interactive around six to twelve months, when many children begin to imitate hand shapes before they can produce spoken words.

Do I need to know ASL to use Nita’s First Signs with my child?

No prior ASL knowledge is required. The book includes clear hand-shape diagrams for each sign alongside the illustrations, making it usable by caregivers who have never learned sign language. The signs featured are standard ASL vocabulary used widely in baby signing programs, so they are also consistent with other ASL resources you might consult later.

What signs does Nita’s First Signs teach?

The book introduces a small set of foundational early signs, including common words like “more,” “milk,” “all done,” and “please.” These are among the most frequently taught first signs in baby signing programs because they address common moments of infant communication (hunger, satisfaction, wanting more) where preverbal children often experience frustration.

Is baby signing based on real ASL?

Yes, the signs in Nita’s First Signs are taken directly from American Sign Language rather than simplified or modified. Using real ASL signs (rather than invented gestures) means that children who learn with this book are building a foundation in an actual language, which has particular value for families with Deaf members or for children who may later pursue ASL fluency.

Who is Kathy Macmillan and what other books has she written?

Kathy Macmillan is an American children’s librarian, author, and storyteller who has written several books about storytelling with sign language and flannel boards. Her other children’s titles include additional books in the Nita series and resources for educators and librarians incorporating ASL into storytime programming.

How does Nita’s First Signs compare to other baby ASL books?

Among baby signing board books, Nita’s First Signs stands out for the quality of its signing diagrams (which are clear enough to be genuinely useful) and for its warm, narrative format, which makes it more engaging as a read-aloud than reference-style ASL baby books. Families looking for a broader vocabulary may eventually want supplementary resources, but as a first introduction the book does its job very well.

Should I buy Nita’s First Signs for my baby?

If you are interested in introducing baby signing or want a warm, inclusive first exposure to ASL for a very young child, yes. The book works as both a story and a practical guide, the illustrations are engaging for infants, and the signs it introduces are genuinely useful for reducing preverbal frustration. It is a solid first purchase in this category.